I have to go out at night to goat shed to check on goats that are going to kid.I am wondering if it will mess up the goats breeding pattern ,since I like them to breed year round.If i put a light to leave on in the shed,because of my age it would sure be a help to me if I can leave it on.But I want to not mess up in this.

-- Pastor Hughes (hbchurch@brightok.net), December 10, 2001

Answers

Light actually helps in the out of season breeding nature for most goats. Just ask Bernice! How about a motion detector light that goes on when you start out there, then stays on long enough for you to find the light switch. I am lucky, I have a light at the back porch that turns on the barn lights and vice-versa, but I do remember when first starting out delivering kids by the light from my pickup! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 10, 2001.

My sheep cry like babies when their night light goes out!

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), December 10, 2001.

How about it Bernice,what can you tell me about leaving lights on all night every night in goat shed.Vicki said to ask you lol,sure don't want to mess them goats having kids all year round.thanks

-- Pastor Hughes (hbchurch@brightok.net), December 10, 2001.

I have a small florescent night light that I leave on year around in my goat barn. I have never found it to make any difference in breeding cycle and my goats also tend to cry when their light is out. I have been doing it for a lot of years and it sure makes kidding season nice to be able to just walk into the barn quietly without disturbing anyone.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), December 10, 2001.

Ohhhhh.... be careful with the lights! We had always thought that with the dairy goats it would be a difficult task to get them to come into heat during the off season. We never really thought much about it because we weren't really getting into a need for yr round milk. But we discovered otherwise. And what a headache and heartache too! heres what happened: Hubby just finished building the new barn on our old farm in VA. he was so proud, he even got the barn wired and had lights. Now for Bruce this was an incrediable task as he isn't very savvy with carppentary skills either! So this was May of 2000, last yr. hubby had the lights on all day and night, guess he was subconsciously thinking back to our cow dairy days. So figuring that the does would never come into heat in June I thought, OK. Well...... let me tell you...... they did and at the least expected time too.

We were getting ready to show at the nationals, the ADGA national goat show. We were at nationals and our younger son Josh and his wife Michelle were taking care of things. We got a ph call that everything was Ok except that 5 does had gotten out, the older ones. He said they put them back in, and to boot the buck did too. Ok, never thought that they would get bred. They did. We never realized it until late August. We were on DHIR test and the milk production was dropping when it should have increased after the heat. Weird..... Then came st fair and we were showing, we noticed that after we got back the production wa sway down and that 4 had dried off. Uh OH..... preggers! Sure enough, had Thanksgiving babies las tyr. A few of those does ahd kidded in Feb, so they had 2 kiddings that yr. The stress was too much on them as they were older and we lost a few of the does.

sooooo.... thats my story about lights in the barn. Don't do it if the buck is handy, you are away and the kids are watching the farm!

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), December 10, 2001.

I have a light on year round in the barn for the chickens and it makes for less animal fussing and stumbling around in the dark when I have to check on things. The light is in one of my three boxstalls and I keep a low watt bulb in, like a 15 or a 25 . If something is going on ie; babies then I can turn on more lights or I also keep a 100 watt bulb to replace in that socket if I need to.

-- leslie ann rigley (l.a.rigley@altavista.com), December 10, 2001.

Forgot to mention, with new barns we have nightlights installed and can see some if we have to in an ER or checking before w ehit the lights. We also have outside mercury lights I think theya re called that come on at night.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), December 10, 2001.

I just want to thank all of you for your kindness.You know I have watched you all, and I have noticed how hard you all try to help every one that has a need and just want to say,your the greatest.So many come here needing an answer and they get it.And your needed so much,thanks you.

-- Pastor Hughes (hbchurch@brightok.net), December 11, 2001.

During lambing time I keep a nightlight on in each area. It doesn't seem to bother their sleeping and I can quietly slip in and out without out much fanfare. Also, another idea no one has mentioned. We got a baby monitor a few years back and that has saved me many trips to the barn in the middle of the night. Also has alerted me to a ewe in labor as well.

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), December 11, 2001.